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Have We Taken Women's Strength Too Far?

Over the past several months I've noticed a trend. It happened as I was watching television and realized that there were an awful lot of new cop/crime shows featuring women. They weren't just any women though. They were supremely feminine, anatomically perfect, centerfold-beautiful women who were playing tough, butch, masculine roles, in some cases, subordinated by men.

Clearly, this is a change from days and years past. But is it good? Or is it bad? Do we applaud the release of women from homemaking and maternal roles? Or should we be frightened by our need to objectify women in order to make them interesting enough to watch?

On one hand, one could make the argument that women being depicted in power roles where they have the lead, are independent, strong, fearless and courageous is a positive evolution forward. One might also argue that it helps shatter traditional roles and creates space for women to welcome new definitions and abandon old stereotypes.

On the other hand, the images are at times offensively feminine; a woman dressed like a girl in pigtails aiming a gun at her opponent, another in lingerie and stilettos sporting the tag line, "Looks Do Kill," (a spin-off of a French film bearing the same name). We have pumps with heels as high as their gun barrels are long and figure "enhancing" outfits to keep our attention, I suppose. Effective, yes, but healthy or good for men and women alike, I'm not sure. I am all for women who can take of themselves. But when these leggy, waify, sexy creatures wielding pistols and rifles fist-fight men twice their size and throw them to the ground after one well-choreographed karate chop to the head, elbow to the face or knee to groin, I worry. I worry that we've already got enough violence built into the male psyche that glamorizes fighting as a solution and positions war as heroic. And look where it has gotten us so far. Lots of pain, lots of suffering and farther way, not closer to, our desire for peace.

I'll admit. I enjoyed Charlie's Angels who at the time were criticized for similar things; fighting crime in high heels, and a fabulous change of outfit for every scene. Despite that, it was still a number one hit show. Then Cagney and Lacy followed who were decidedly more masculine and realistic, certainly as compared to now when it seems that things have gotten a little out of hand.

Charlie's Angels

Cagney & Lacey

Rizzoli & Isles (TNT)

Burn Notice (USA Networks)

Nikita (CW Television Networks)

Covert Affairs (USA Networks)

In Plain Sight (USA Networks)

Chase (NBC Network)

And then, in a surprising departure, there's this from NCIS Los Angeles. A reverse in trend, perhaps?

I understand your position that maybe women are portrayed as overtly sexy in their strong roles, but I think that as women we sometimes forget that many of the strong male roles are treated in the same manner. James Bond, for example, is sure to always have a perfect body and at least one scene in a towel. Additionally, while men might find pigtails and stilettos sexy, I would argue that women feel the same way about a nicely tailored suit on a man. Over all, I am enjoying the change of pace and hope that this trend continues.

For better or for worse, we really don't want to see "reality" in the movies or the TV (even on the so-called "reality shows"). We want fantasy or exaggeration or extreme pathos, etc. Even on the news, it appears. More and more, media is used for escape from our day to day lives (be they dreary or too taxing).

I am curious about the affect of exaggerated characteristics over time. For example, it is difficult to suspend disbelief enough to watch Angelina Jolie do the "damage" she does in SALT. What will happen if people come to believe they possess these qualities? What will its role be in perceptions towards women and domestic violence?

Someone suggested that over time movie themes and other events can be enshrined as "societal truth" because of the operation of the myth process. Rambo got us places that, in my view, are not attractive. It will be interesting seeing where Charlie's Angels, SALT and movies of this genre take us. But, practically, no one can now know how these movies eventually will shape us and our children.

They are all just fantasies of people who like to see characters that can be both strong, empowered, high-self-esteem and still be kinda nice women at other times.

It's probably just a slightly new-ish spin on the old paradigm of "Princess on the Streets, Whore between the Sheets".
-A woman who is actually a good person, but can set aside time in a stable relationship and safe environment, when she is not limited by the dowdy prudishness ordinarily associated with "Good Girls"; so she can be the best of both with none of the antisocial or dreary baggage.

This time, the fantasy just involves more +/- "Respect". -Not that any guy from a respectable family wouldn't be crushed into tiny bits by his father for ever raising a hand to a woman.

As long as men have testosterone they will all aspire to be the companion of that High-Value Empowered Sweetheart.

The stereotyping of women is still endemic, and although I am cognizant that my views are effected by both my gender and psychological impacts of my childhood experiences, I would have to be in complete denial to not notice the prevalent inequality in the portrayal of women on television and in the movies. The recognition of that inequality may be magnified in my own mind somewhat by my own psychological conditions. These conditions resulted from repeated and often gratuitous spankings followed by hugging and kissing even into my Oedipal phase, forced making of the bed in just underwear, along with a puritanical upbringing, not knowing what masturbation was while I was doing it, and being observed by a neighboring girl in my underwear followed by taunting. The result was association of spankings and humiliation with both mothering and sexuality. I am heterosexually masochistic and ashamed of my own gender. I have a female psychotherapist because I have trouble dealing with men. That's the baggage and the context of my point of view.

I am addicted to the television show "Nikita". I love the strength it conveys and the idea of a woman standing up to a corrupt male dominated power structure. I am not generally a fan of cop shows and "shoot-em-ups" but the idea of a women being strong enough to take on the system is deeply emotional for me and my eyes water a little sometimes while watching. I only wish it could be even less stereotypical.

Right now I am trying to get through the emotion of apparently losing what was starting to be the reestablishment of a relationship with my first true love whom I've not seen for 40 years. She is a strong dominant (but not stereotypically so) woman but she doesn't like my cross-dressing and especially doesn't like my posting photos and videos of myself on the internet. I'm afraid I've provoked a rejection and have been depressed over it.

Wow, thank you for such an in-depth response. I find it quite interesting actually. The depiction of women as heroes is both significant and aspirational, but do we do the concept justice in this case, meaning is it realistic? Should our girls be looking at these characters as role models and if so, are we putting forth attainable and fulfilling expectations? But then I also struggle with the notion that we create so much imagery of war and battle and fighting, and yet, that IS our reality. So to what extent does one fuel or influence the other? I don't know.

Thank you for the compassion you expressed in the title of your response. I'm trying to hang in there and am aware that I have a tendency to provoke the very rejections which I have so much trouble dealing with.

You are obviously correct to point out that many aspects of these genres (in which women are being cast more often in strong aspirational roles) are unrealistic. Many of the plots of the scripts for males in these genres continue to be just as unrealistic if not more-so.

Sometimes one must struggle against seemingly impossible odds in order to do what our consciences tell us is right. The characters "Nikita" and "Alex" in trying to achieve their aspirations find strength that I could only dream of and that I wish more women could find within themselves.

I agree completely that being saturated with glorified imagery of war, battle and fighting is not desirable and I personally find it disturbing that television and the movies are so saturated with it. Neither do I approve of vigilantism. I would like to see the wars end and the violence cease. I am also a civil libertarian. I love the fact that women are being cast in strong roles, but there is certainly potential for scripts that would do them more justice.

So many television shows and movies have authoritarian messages, seek to justify profiling (stereotyping), and contain relentless presumptions of guilt of anybody who is ever suspected or accused.

That is one reason why I like shows like "Nikita" and "The Good Wife". They may not, especially in the case of "Nikita", be realistic, but they fulfill a deep need in me to believe that the little schnook occasionally a prayer in the face of sometimes appears like doom, and they don't preach that authority is always right.

I so want to believe that miracles can happen and that fairytales can come true.

In answer to your question, I believe they fuel each other to quite a large extent. Unfortunately a lot of people make money from war and politicians get contributions from those who profit. Some of those companies have subsidiaries that own television stations and movie companies. I wish it were just a conspiracy theory, but I'm afraid promoting war games is good for business in addition to attracting viewership. Nikita" isn't a role model for me but, rather, is an expression of hope and of female strength. I also confess to being addicted to it the way some people get addicted to soap operas.

I'm not sure about fairy tales, I think they set us up for disappointment. But miracles? I call it defying gravity and as sure as I am sitting here, I'm evidence that it happens. Keep the faith. I think fantasy is fine as an escape as long as we don't rely too heavily on it to the extent that it prevents us from seeing and dealing with the truth of our lives.